Inventing Comics

The book explores the foundational theories behind graphic novels through the lens of Rodolphe Töpffer's work, highlighting his contributions to the genre's significance in rhetoric, philosophy, aesthetics, and civic engagement. By translating two of Töpffer's essays, it provides English-speaking audiences with access to his scholarly insights, which have been overlooked despite his recognition as a key figure in the field. This examination situates the invention of graphic novels within a broader cultural and intellectual context.